


life is not simple

by leviadrache



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 20:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leviadrache/pseuds/leviadrache
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luna needs to realize that being friends can't always solve everything. That being selfish is often easier than letting someone else in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	life is not simple

**Author's Note:**

> it's amluna week on twitter! maybe friday is a little too late to join but hey! better late than never  
> the prompt for today is ["Apocalypse/Survival - Link Joker era"](https://twitter.com/Taijiri07/status/723148534560620544)

There's no room for mercy for the ones with true determination. It's the people with wavering spirits and wavering hearts that give into pleads for mercy. But Am can't afford any weakness. She reached the point where it doesn't matter if she plays her role as idol or not. So Rummy Labyrinth split up. Luna, tears streaming down her face, couldn't believe that it would just end like this.

_Does that mean you didn't enjoy being an idol with me? I can't believe that. Was everything you said a lie?_

And, okay, sure, it's not like Am hated being an idol. It was fun to play an easy-going innocent girl with Luna while it lasted, but now that it's over , doesn't miss it. Shouma used to ask her, if she still has contact to Luna and the others. Once he figured out that she honestly didn't, he switched to other topics, asks about the weather or how much Am enjoyed to make Kiba Shion suffer. She'd smile and assure him. _A lot actually_.

When they are told about Link Jokers powers, both of them are astonished. Shouma is thrilled, of course, and doesn't shut up about its strength and how _fun_ it'll be to fight Shion with this new decks. Am makes fun of him at first, but none of her comments change anything about Shouma's excitement, so at some points, she just stops listening to him.

Time passes. There's not much happening these days, they don't leave the base unless they get orders to fight someone. Outside, more and more people lose to Reverse and join the Company, until only a minority is left to live on their own will, oppressed and scared to show themselves. She and Shouma spend most of their days in one of the labs, since they only get orders to fight the strongest fighters. By now, there are enough company members to take care of the small fries. Every day Shouma hopes it's the day he can finally fight Kiba Shion. Am just wants all of this to be finally over. They're not letting her visit her parents these day, her sole reason to be here right now, so fighting becomes tiring after a while.

The resistance gets weaker each day. Soon, the day Shouma longs for arrives. An order to fight Anjou Tokoha, Kiba Shion and Yumizuki Luna. There's a name missing, obviously, but then Am remembers the third member of Try3 went missing, just like his father. Not that she cares about what Ryuzu did to him. She feels like once they face each other again, she might owe his friends some explanation, but it can't be helped.

Shouma drives all the way to where those three are supposed to be. "Such an unfitting place for such a beautiful bird."

Am wants to roll her eyes, but instead she keeps looking for any sign of the three. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Shouma hums. "Of course I am."

She doesn't have time to insult his annoying confidence or his annoying way to speak, because a motorcycle appears behind them. There aren't many vehicles on the road these days, people are afraid of getting attacked. So her first thought is the driver on the motorcycle is one of their allies. But the long strands of pink her that aren't covered by the helmet remind Am of someone who definitely isn't a Company member.

The motorcycle follows them through the abandoned alleys. Soon Shouma notices it too, and immediately hits the break. The motorcycle almost crashes into their car, but the driver is skilled enough to pull it around quickly and avoid the crash. Shouma and Am both get out of the car, and the person with long hair stops right next to them.

They're facing each other and now that they're so close, Am can say without doubt that the driver has to be –

"It has been quite a while, Am." Luna pulls off the helmet and smiles sadly. She looks much more mature than the last time they saw each other. Am tries to remember how much time has passed since then, but she can't think when the depressed smile on Luna's lips already tells her that it's been way _too long_.

Aware of Shouma's eyes on her and his unusual silence, Am puts her focus back to work. She grins, speaks with her low voice. "Oho? Missed me that much?"

Luna shakes her head. Despite everything, she doesn't look like she's close to crying this time. The last time they stood in front of each other like now, she cried so much, held on to Am, as if she couldn't leave as long as Luna kept her arms around her in this fierce embrace.

"Naturally I missed you. But I've figured a solution for us out!"

"My, my, really, did you?" Am laughs. It's hallow, it always is, but she doesn't care. It helps getting into her role – and her role that helps her to be ruthless.

"I know that everything you did was just an act … that everything you said was a lie," Luna says, ignoring when Shouma laughs about her words. "But you know what, Am? If it didn't work then, we can try once more. Again and again, until it works out!"

Out of the corner of her eyes, Am sees Shouma's amused expression and replies to Luna, before he has the time to say anything. "It's lovely to know you still think life is this simple."

"I don't!" Luna argues, but Am doesn't want to listen to her any more and pulls out her deck. They've been close once, Luna already made her question her goal once. Am can't be bothered to doubt herself. Luna also pulls out her deck. "If you want to fight, then I won't back down!"

Am laughs. "Well then. Bring it on."

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

She's still a passionate and enthusiastic fighter. Less impulsive than she used to be, but just as lucky. She keeps drawing the cards she needs and whenever she needs a trigger, it comes to her. Am has to face quite a few harsh situation. "You're not bad," she comments after an especially strong attack from Luna. "But do you really think this is going to be enough to defeat me?"

"It has to be," Luna insists. "From the moment I started playing Vanguard, I've been training to get stronger for your sake, Am. Even after you showed me your real self and left me, nothing has changed about this! With this fight, I'll lead you back on the right way."

"Stop this shit already!" Am snaps. "Things aren't that easy. I know you think there's always a happy end, but surprise! There isn't. Some issues can't be solved if you stay on your nice right way."

Luna looks hurt at her outburst, but Am doesn't care and draws her card. "Stride Generation!"

(When two determined people clash, there's no room for sympathy.)

In the end, Am wins, of course. Luna sinks to her knees, shaking with a mixture of fear and disbelief.

"Well done, Ace." Shouma's praise barely reaches her ears, as she approaches Luna. The trembling of her body looks even more pathetic up close. Am looks at her properly. What is visible of her arms and legs show that she has been working out. She didn't just get notably stronger in Vanguard. All the effort she put in fighting back. All of it in vain. (But it all has been for Am's sake and Am's sake alone.)

"I'm sorry, Am... in the end, I was useless to you again."

Am isn't sure if Luna wants to say more, but Reverse takes over and Luna starts to scream out in pain. Her hand reaches out for Am and just this one time, Am decides to be a good person, lets Luna hold on to it, while she endures the pain of being reversed. She shakes and shouts things Am can't understand. But between the meaningless sounds, Luna keeps repeating the same syllable over and over again. Am tightens her hold on Luna's hand. Insight flashes through her mind. _She lost Luna again_. The cheerful girl never wanted something like this to happen. Although Am can't afford to doubt her actions, she bites her lip. With her free hand, she starts stroking Luna's hair. It's messy, but feels nice under her fingers. She's simply beautiful. Even when her face is consumed by pain, she looks stunning. Am wonders if kissing her would sooth her for second, but abandons the thought quickly. She doesn't want Shouma to get wrong ideas. Not after she worked so hard to gain the Company's trust and maintaining a high rank.

So she just watches Luna's meaningless struggle patiently. Although she has seen this happen so many times, it almost hurts to see Luna like this. But it's too late for regret, she reminds herself. Her thumb traces circles into the back of Luna's hand, and then –

Then it's over, just as abrupt as it started. All the tension leaves Luna's body and she collapses on the ground, unconscious. Only when she notices Shouma's presence next to her, she takes her hand away from Luna's.

"Just work as usual," she says when she gets up.

"If you insist that's all there is," Shouma muses. "I merely hope my fight against Shion will be as interesting."


End file.
